Una Vincenzo, Lady Troubridge
Encyclopedia
Una Vincenzo, Lady Troubridge (born Margot Elena Gertrude Taylor; 8 March 1887 – 24 September 1963) was a British
sculptor and translator. She is best known as the long-time partner (28 years) of Marguerite "John" Radclyffe-Hall
, the author of The Well of Loneliness
.
Troubridge was an educated woman who had many achievements in her own right. Most notably she was a successful translator and introduced the French writer Colette
to English readers. Her talent as a sculptor prompted Nijinsky
to sit for her several times.
, an early biographer of Radclyffe Hall, "the family life was built on beauty, wit and style". Born Margot Elena Gertrude Taylor, she was nicknamed Una by her family as a child and chose the middle name Vincenzo herself, after her Florentine
relatives.
Troubridge was a pupil at the Royal College of Art
, and after she graduated set up a sculpture studio. Troubridge's father died in 1907, leaving her with limited financial support and her best option was to get married.
She married Captain Ernest Troubridge
in October 1908; they had one daughter, Andrea. Troubridge rose to the rank of admiral during and immediately after the First World War, and Una gained her title when Admiral Troubridge was knighted in June 1919, though they were already legally separated at the time.
She was a devoted admirer of the Italian-Russian operatic bass Nicola Rossi Lemeni [1920-1991], and followed his career all over the world. She later became a close friend of both Rossi Lemeni and his wife, the soprano Virginia Zeani, and was godmother to their young son.
In the early 1920s, 10 Stirling Street in London was the home of Troubridge and Hall and was extensively renovated by them. Troubridge had lived out her early life nearby in Montpelier Square.
Troubridge wrote about the intensity of their relationship in her diary: "I could not, having come to know her, imagine life without her."
In an effort to ease the great sense of guilt about Mabel's death Hall and Troubridge became interested in Spiritualism. They regularly held seances with the use of a medium and believed that they received advice from Mabel, from beyond the grave.
Both Troubridge and Hall identified as 'inverts
', a term used by sexologists such as Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis
usually to connote what we now think of as homosexuality
.
Hall and Troubridge raised and showed dachshund
s and griffon
s. The dachshunds shown in the Romaine Brooks
portrait of Troubridge were a prize winning pair given to her by Hall.
In the last nine years of Hall's life she had become obsessed with a White Russian
nurse, Evgenia Souline. This made Troubridge very unhappy, but she tolerated their relationship. Initially the women had decided to move to Italy and live in Florence, but were forced to return at the outbreak of the Second World War. The three women then chose to live in Devon
.
In the early 1920s Troubridge adopted a tailored style similar to Hall's own masculine look, as a way of making her sexual identity and their partnership visible. Later she came to prefer more feminine dress that complemented Hall's. After Hall died of bowel cancer in 1943, Troubridge had Hall's suits altered to fit her and wore them habitually.
On her deathbed, Hall revoked a previous will that had provided Souline with an income, and instead left everything to Troubridge, including the copyrights to her works. In her new will she asked Troubridge to "make such provision for our friend Eugenie Souline as in her absolute discretion she may consider right"; Troubridge provided Souline with only a small allowance. She also burned Souline's letters, and in her 1945 biography, The Life and Death of Radclyffe Hall, she minimized Souline's role in Hall's life. Souline died in 1958.
Troubridge died in Rome in 1963; she had left written instructions that her coffin be placed in the vault in Highgate Cemetery
where Hall and Batten had been buried, but the instructions were discovered too late. She is buried in the English Cemetery in Rome, and on her coffin is inscribed "Una Vincenzo Troubridge, the friend of Radclyffe Hall".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sculptor and translator. She is best known as the long-time partner (28 years) of Marguerite "John" Radclyffe-Hall
Radclyffe Hall
Radclyffe Hall was an English poet and author, best known for the lesbian classic The Well of Loneliness.- Life :...
, the author of The Well of Loneliness
The Well of Loneliness
The Well of Loneliness is a 1928 lesbian novel by the British author Radclyffe Hall. It follows the life of Stephen Gordon, an Englishwoman from an upper-class family whose "sexual inversion" is apparent from an early age...
.
Troubridge was an educated woman who had many achievements in her own right. Most notably she was a successful translator and introduced the French writer Colette
Colette
Colette was the surname of the French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette . She is best known for her novel Gigi, upon which Lerner and Loewe based the stage and film musical comedies of the same title.-Early life and marriage:Colette was born to retired military officer Jules-Joseph...
to English readers. Her talent as a sculptor prompted Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish descent, cited as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century. He grew to be celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations...
to sit for her several times.
Early life
Troubridge was brought up in Montpelier Square, Kensington, London, in an upper middle-class family. According to Lovat DicksonLovat Dickson
Lovat Dickson, born Horatio Henry Lovat Dickson was a notable publisher and writer, the first Canadian to have a major publishing role in Britain. He is best known today for his biographies of Grey Owl, Richard Hillary, Radclyffe Hall and H. G. Wells...
, an early biographer of Radclyffe Hall, "the family life was built on beauty, wit and style". Born Margot Elena Gertrude Taylor, she was nicknamed Una by her family as a child and chose the middle name Vincenzo herself, after her Florentine
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
relatives.
Troubridge was a pupil at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
, and after she graduated set up a sculpture studio. Troubridge's father died in 1907, leaving her with limited financial support and her best option was to get married.
She married Captain Ernest Troubridge
Ernest Troubridge
Admiral Sir Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge KCMG, MVO was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the First World War, later rising to the rank of admiral....
in October 1908; they had one daughter, Andrea. Troubridge rose to the rank of admiral during and immediately after the First World War, and Una gained her title when Admiral Troubridge was knighted in June 1919, though they were already legally separated at the time.
She was a devoted admirer of the Italian-Russian operatic bass Nicola Rossi Lemeni [1920-1991], and followed his career all over the world. She later became a close friend of both Rossi Lemeni and his wife, the soprano Virginia Zeani, and was godmother to their young son.
Relationship with Radclyffe-Hall
Hall and Troubridge met in 1915 as Troubridge was the cousin of singer Mabel Batten (aka Ladye) who was Hall's lover at the time. Mabel died in 1916, and Hall and Troubridge moved in together the following year.In the early 1920s, 10 Stirling Street in London was the home of Troubridge and Hall and was extensively renovated by them. Troubridge had lived out her early life nearby in Montpelier Square.
Troubridge wrote about the intensity of their relationship in her diary: "I could not, having come to know her, imagine life without her."
In an effort to ease the great sense of guilt about Mabel's death Hall and Troubridge became interested in Spiritualism. They regularly held seances with the use of a medium and believed that they received advice from Mabel, from beyond the grave.
Both Troubridge and Hall identified as 'inverts
Sexual inversion
Sexual inversion may refer to:* Sexual inversion , a term for homosexuality found primarily in older scientific literature* A metamorphic change in the gender of an animal...
', a term used by sexologists such as Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis
Havelock Ellis
Henry Havelock Ellis, known as Havelock Ellis , was a British physician and psychologist, writer, and social reformer who studied human sexuality. He was co-author of the first medical textbook in English on homosexuality in 1897, and also published works on a variety of sexual practices and...
usually to connote what we now think of as homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
.
Hall and Troubridge raised and showed dachshund
Dachshund
The dachshund is a short-legged, long-bodied dog breed belonging to the hound family. The standard size dachshund was bred to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals, while the miniature dachshund was developed to hunt smaller prey such as rabbits...
s and griffon
Griffon
Griffon is a type of dog, a collection of breeds of originally hunting dogs. There are three recognized lines of the griffon type Fédération Cynologique Internationale FCI, the griffon vendéens, the wirehaired pointers, and the smousje...
s. The dachshunds shown in the Romaine Brooks
Romaine Brooks
Romaine Brooks, born Beatrice Romaine Goddard , was an American painter who worked mostly in Paris and Capri. She specialized in portraiture and used a subdued palette dominated by the color gray...
portrait of Troubridge were a prize winning pair given to her by Hall.
In the last nine years of Hall's life she had become obsessed with a White Russian
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
nurse, Evgenia Souline. This made Troubridge very unhappy, but she tolerated their relationship. Initially the women had decided to move to Italy and live in Florence, but were forced to return at the outbreak of the Second World War. The three women then chose to live in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
After Radclyffe-Hall
Despite all their troubles, Troubridge stayed with Hall and nursed her until she died in 1943.In the early 1920s Troubridge adopted a tailored style similar to Hall's own masculine look, as a way of making her sexual identity and their partnership visible. Later she came to prefer more feminine dress that complemented Hall's. After Hall died of bowel cancer in 1943, Troubridge had Hall's suits altered to fit her and wore them habitually.
On her deathbed, Hall revoked a previous will that had provided Souline with an income, and instead left everything to Troubridge, including the copyrights to her works. In her new will she asked Troubridge to "make such provision for our friend Eugenie Souline as in her absolute discretion she may consider right"; Troubridge provided Souline with only a small allowance. She also burned Souline's letters, and in her 1945 biography, The Life and Death of Radclyffe Hall, she minimized Souline's role in Hall's life. Souline died in 1958.
Troubridge died in Rome in 1963; she had left written instructions that her coffin be placed in the vault in Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery is a cemetery located in north London, England. It is designated Grade I on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. It is divided into two parts, named the East and West cemetery....
where Hall and Batten had been buried, but the instructions were discovered too late. She is buried in the English Cemetery in Rome, and on her coffin is inscribed "Una Vincenzo Troubridge, the friend of Radclyffe Hall".
Further reading
- The Pink Plaque Guide to London, Michael Elliman and Frederick Roll, Gay Men's Press, 1986, ISBN 0-85449-026-4. p92-93
- A feature from Femme Magazine